American History and Genealogy Project

Cholera - Boundaries - Town Officials

1830-1857

Description in 1830 - Pursuits - Cholera - Boundary Line in
New York Bay - Morris Canal Through - Hudson County Erected -
New Cemetery - Town Officials Chosen in 1855.

At this time farms were established and
flourishing. A fringe of farmhouses ran along the shore and a
few along the middle road Constable's Hook was Van Buskirk
property, and several farms were situated there. Terhune's grist
mill was situated at the Hook. Here the farmers in the
neighboring country took their grain to be ground. Frank Miller
kept a store at Bergen Point (now Avenue C and First Street).
His building was just east of the Latourette House. He kept
groceries, tobacco, etc. In the rear of his property, Berger, a
Frenchman, kept a cider press. Children on their way to school
would stop here and suck cider through a straw to their full
capacity. An apple orchard stood on both sides of the road at
that time. Hartman Vreeland's tavern was situated at about
Forty-ninth Street. There was no post office. The inhabitants
had to go or send to Jersey City for their mail. Abraham Van
Buskirk and Colonel Cadmus each kept a few slaves, and John Van
Buskirk, of the Hook, kept about a dozen. In these days, the
inhabitants gossiped about local affairs principally, for
outside news was scarce. When someone had been "in town" and
returned with a New York "Evening Post," that person was usually
surrounded by a group, eagerly listening as the news was read
aloud. Worship was held every Sabbath in the "new" Bergen Neck
Reformed Church on the Bergen Point Road, where the folks went
"to hear Minister Boyce preach."

Hon. Anthony H. Ryder describes the
inhabitants in Shaw's History of Hudson County as follows: "The
current of life ran evenly at the fireside. There sat the
venerable Bergener, silently puffing his pipe, looking into the
fire with half-shut eyes, meditating for hours together; the
good Vrouw, on the opposite side, would employ the time in
spinning yarn or knitting stockings.. . . In their quiet way,
the inhabitants are said to have followed their callings,
principally agriculture. Shad fisheries and the oyster grounds
furnished fields for busy enterprise and a profitable
employment."

They enjoyed life, too. Currie's Woods was the objective point
for picnics, and the good, old-fashioned Dutch descendants, with
their families, would participate in a day's rolicking. The
boys, upon growing up, would be sent out to learn a trade, but
evidently it was a hard matter in those days to keep an
apprentice to his work. Whether it was because of hard masters,
or stubborn dispositions on the part of the boys, it is
difficult to say. The following advertisement appeared in the
Newark "Daily Advertiser," Tuesday, February 28, 1837:

"One Cent Reward.

"Ran away from the subscriber on or
about the middle of August last an indented apprentice to the
Harness, Collar and Whip making business, named Joseph Smith.
Said apprentice is about 4 ft. 5 or 6 inches high, dark hair and
eyes, aged about 14 years. Whoever will return said apprentice
shall receive the above reward but no charges.

"Shugard & Macknet."

Another one that was published about the
same time reads: "One Cent Reward.

Ran away on the 21st inst. from the
employment of the Subscribers an Indented Apprentice to the Sash
and Blind making Business, named Wm. A. Perry. Said boy is about
5 feet 4 inches high, rather slim built, is fond of Rum, and too
lazy to work. All persons are forbid to harbor or trust said
boy, under the penalty of the law.

"Merchant & Roff."

Cholera visited this section during the
years 1830 and 1832, resulting in numerous deaths.

By an act of Congress, approved June 28,
1834, the boundary line between New Jersey and New York was
finally settled. This gave New York exclusive control over the
waters of New York Bay, Bedloe and Ellis' Islands, and the
waters of Kill von Kull, between Staten Island and New Jersey,
while to New Jersey was given the ownership of land under the
waters west of the middle of the bay and Hudson River.

In Gordon's Gazetteer of New Jersey
appears the following short description in 1834:

"Pamrepau, small scattering settlement,
in Bergen t-ship, Bergen Co., on New York bay, about 5 miles
below Jersey City, occupied by descendants of the original Dutch
settlers."

In 1835, John Carragan, who conducted a
little school at the junction of what is now Avenue D and
Twenty-fourth Street, started a store in the rear of A. Dege's
present store on Avenue D near Twenty-second Street. This was
among the first, if not the first, general shop in Bayonne, and
was patronized quite freely.

In 1836, the Morris Canal, bounding
Bayonne on the north, was put through.

At this time Bergen County extended as
far south as Constable's Hook. In 1840, by legislative
enactment, part of Bergen County, including the Bergen Neck, was
changed and erected into County of Hudson, so named in
commemoration of Henry Hudson.

In 1849, the dreaded cholera again broke
out and was not checked until numerous deaths had resulted from
it. In consequence, "Cobby" James Van Buskirk, of the Hook, laid
out the new burial grounds on Constable's Hook, East
Twenty-Second Street and Avenue I.

At the annual town meeting in the spring
of 1855, it was decided to hold the spring and fall elections at
Egbert Wauters' hotel on the Plank Road, to elect three
constables, and to raise $3,300 for support of schools, $500 for
repairs to roads, and $300 for the poor. James H. Farrant,
George Anderson and Aaron Y. P. Jones were elected as Town
constables.